Coming Home
by Lanelle Corr
Summary: What if Edward had given into the temptation during New Moon, sneaking back into Forks, just to visit her one last time? At least, that was the plan... NOW COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

Coming Home

**This is my first piece of fanfic for Twilight, so im begging for feedback. please review.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight or anything related to it. In fact, the only thing I do own is this ice. ****slurp**** and even its almost gone ******

**Edward POV**

The night sounds were familiar to me. After spending weeks in the south where the sun shone constantly throughout the day, I had all but embraced the stereotype of being nocturnal. Somehow, although I had come from miles away after weeks of being in a completely different climate, I could pick out similarities in the noises. The cricket's chirping, for instance, were identical to their southern counterparts. The wind blowing through trees, the sad song of a mockingbird, all joined in a unity that anyone would be envious of.

I sighed, knowing that I was so close, but at the same time so far away. From her, her thoughts, her dreams, even. At least, that was what I told myself. She had moved on by now, she had done as I had commanded, she was finished coping whereas I was still in the middle of it all. I cursed myself for being so weak as to come back here, but I knew it was futile. Nothing could change what I had already done, by leaving her, by making a promise, subsequently breaking that promise, and ending up back where it all started.

There was no chance of my being noticed, I had made sure of that. Clouds covered whatever light the moon could offer, and I was on high alert for the presence of anything human. I just had to visit this place again. I had tricked myself into thinking that by coming back here, just once, it would help me realize that it was really over by bringing back memories of the day I had left her. Really, I was gone from the instant she had gotten cut by that glass, but this was the place where I had lied, shattering whatever hope I had at having a peaceful existence. For nothing was the same, everything paled in comparison, without her by my side.

The breeze was picking up now, forming an all out gust. Then I caught it. Her scent, mingled with a saltiness that could have melted me where I stood. Because I knew, all too well, exactly how her tears affected her scent, changing it, shaping it, into something even more heartbreaking. I froze, forcing myself to remain perfectly still, knowing that if I moved it would certainly be straight to her side. I didn't care who or what had caused her sobs, but I wanted to be the one to make it all better. No, I had to banish thoughts like these. I hadn't fully broken my promise yet, but it was barely hanging on by a thread and if I let my mind wander… I shuddered at what kind of havoc I could wreak by suddenly reappearing in her life. Turning her world upside down, and for what? My own personal satisfaction? Never, I told myself. But the scent was so tempting… I had been walking while thinking, and found myself looking up at her window. How easy it would be for me to sneak in, unbeknownst to her, and watch her sleep. If I was really lucky, maybe I could hear her voice. Just one last time.

Already I was scaling the side of her home, silently sliding the window open. I left it ajar, unwilling to shut myself in. The sight before my eyes was almost unbearable, but I forced myself to look, realizing that this may be the last chance I had. Her mahogany hair, pulled back in a loose ponytail, her hands, pulling the sheets up to her chin, that glorious face that had gotten me through countless nights, her breath. No, something was wrong with the way she was breathing. It came in short, ragged breaths, like she was struggling with some invisible danger. Now I also noticed beads of sweat, collecting along her forehead before rolling down onto the pillow. The perspiration, mingled with tears, accounted for the saltiness I smelled. Odd, but I hadn't smelled her actual blood until now. The reason for my initial attraction had become an afterthought, taking the backseat to the many other wonders of my Bella. I would never stop referring to her this way, even if I lived for all eternity, which I wasn't planning on anymore. At least while she lived, I would continue to assure her safety. But were anything to happen to her, the thought was unbearable. I shifted my concentration back to the living perfection in front of me. Even from across the room, I could see subtle changes from my Bella to the one that was laying here. Her eyes had dark purple rings under them, her face was distorted like she was in continuous pain, and she was fidgeting. In all the nights I had spent with her, she had never squirmed like she was now. Whatever she was dreaming of, it was causing her physical discomfort.

"Bella, what happened to you?" I murmured softly, not expecting a reply. When she began to say something, I moved further back into the shadows.

**The next chapter will be in Bella's pov, starting with her dream. But will she wake up in time to catch her lovely intruder? I'm hoping for five (5) reviews before I put up the next chapter. **


	2. Chapter 2

I was in the forest again, like always, lost, slightly confused, but purposeful

**A great many thanks to my reviewers, and readers, but mostly reviewers. I hope you aren't disappointed with the next chapter. Remember, Bella's mental state is not what it should be. She's not the most logical person right now.**

**DISCLAIMER: That's right, I **_**still**_** don't own Twilight. **

**Bella POV**

I was in the forest again, like always, lost, slightly confused, but purposeful. I had to find him, to see him, to be with him was all that I had ever wanted. I knew it was futile, searching for him, desperately looking, screaming his name until my voice was hoarse and the sobs overtook me. I crumble in a heap at the forest floor, and wait for the darkness to overtake me. I try to say his name, one last time, but all that comes out is mumble of incoherent sounds.

When I open my eyes again, the blackness is still there, but slowly everything comes into focus. This is a first, dreaming that I am in my own room. The pillow is damp, and when I lift my head I can feel where the tears are still fresh on my cheeks. I sit up fully, and it feels the same as other dreams. I know that he's somewhere nearby, but I don't know exactly where and it's killing me. The tears continue to slowly slide down my face and a cool breeze rustles the sheets. Odd, because I have never been this immersed in a dream. It's like I can actually sense everything, not just see and hear, but also smell, and feel, and taste. No one really thinks about what the air tastes like, but in dreams you can feel the void where air should be. Not this one, though, because I can taste it.

I look to see where the breeze came from, because although there is a fan in my room I have never felt the need to turn it on. The window is cracked open, just enough to let in a wisp of the violent wind outside. I slowly move to close it, but I can't bring myself to complete the simple act. Somehow, closing the window feels like I'm locking him out. It sends an uninviting message, when the last thing I want is for him to stay away. The tears are still rolling, but now my throat is getting choked up, and it's harder to breathe. I'm gasping for air before he gets to me. I should have thought of this before. When I was always searching for Edward, I should have been giving him a reason to come back. Even if he didn't love me, he wouldn't want me to see me hurt, right? He would return if he knew that I was in pain. In this dream, that is exactly what I think has happened. I should have known that he wouldn't be far away, but why would he run when I started looking? This only provoked me further, and now he's putting his stone cold arms around me, holding me close to him, whispering sweet nothings in my ear. Because that is exactly what it means to me. Nothing. The dream doesn't change anything, and I try to tell him this but he won't let me. He pulls me closer still, until I wrap my arms around his neck, while at the same time letting go of everything else. He is the only one that I am holding onto, he is my anchor to this life, and he is the reason for my existence. These are the last thoughts I have, before he lays me down on the bed, and begs me to get some sleep.

"You're tired, Bella," he tells me. "But I'll be here when you wake up. I promise." And we both knew, he always keeps his promises.

**Edward POV**

Once Bella's breathing became even worse than before, I knew that I could only watch her in pain for so much longer. When she was asleep, she wouldn't remember anything. But the instant she climbed out of that bed, I knew she was awake and that this pain was real. This would not stop unless something was done about it. And I was the only one that knew, the only one that was available to soothe her. Knowing that I would probably regret it, I rushed to her side faster than humanly possible, telling her all the things that had been bottled up inside me for months. I told her how sorry I was, how much I loved, how I never stopped thinking about her, how my life had all but stopped the moment I walked away. She didn't seem to hear me, but she was still waking up, I think, and I realized again how tired she looked. Dead on her feet, or so the expression goes, but I tried not to think of it that way. I coaxed her back into bed, where she settled in, with her arms still around me, holding on for dear life. I couldn't break another promise, so I resolved to be the first thing she saw in the morning. Until then, I would let her sleep, and leave all of the decisions up to her. Whatever she wanted would be done, even if it killed me to oblige her.

**Bella POV**

Saturdays were usually my day of rest. Charlie would go fishing, and I was free to do whatever I wanted. This usually included homework, laundry, cleaning, or other chores around the house. Because of this, I slept as long as I wanted, but not normally as long as I needed. I had picked up the habit of running from my dreams, and this was a good reason to wake up early. This morning was no exception, and I was not surprised to hear the pitter patter of rain through the still open window.

The events of my dreams were still fresh on my mind, especially the one that took place in my room. I could almost hear his voice still, and I sighed when my practical side reminded me that it was just a dream. Imagine my surprise when I rolled over to see him, there, lying next to me, as if the past months had never happened.

I tried to say something, to ask one of the million questions that were running through my head, but it all came to a halting stop when he smiled. It wasn't the carefree grin that I loved so much, but the one that was reserved for when he was profusely apologizing for something that wasn't his fault. I clearly remembered the last time I saw it, lying on a hospital bed in Arizona. It seemed that words were escaping us both, because neither of us said anything for a while. I couldn't accurately tell how long, but time had always seemed immensely trivial when I was with him. Finally, I asked the question that mattered most to me, summed up in a single word.

"Why?" I waited for a response, but none would come. He reached out his hand to stroke my hair, and continued smiling that stupid smile. I was really getting sick of it now, because I only wanted an answer. Good or bad, I wanted to find out sooner rather than later, before I got my hopes up for nothing. I tried again.

"Why now?" It came out in a whisper. "Why couldn't you come when I needed you most? When I couldn't eat? When I couldn't sleep? What about all the times I cried until I couldn't breathe? Where were you then?" My voice had strengthened into a scream. I beat my fists against his chest, knowing that it wouldn't hurt him in the least. When my anger was spent, I averted my eyes, not wanting him to know how much pain I was still in. I could talk about what I had been through, but I would never acknowledge how much I still needed him.

He stood abruptly and stalked toward the window. The window. It had been shut the night before, I was certain of that, but it was open now. No, it had been opened earlier, too. In my dream. A sudden epiphany struck, and I was stunned at the irony of it all. He had been there. He had said all those things to me, he had held me while I cried, but most importantly, he had kept his promise. He still hadn't answered my questions, but I didn't care. As much as he had hurt me, I wanted him to stay.

"Edward."

**Edward POV**

I had waited so long to hear her say my name, I hadn't even known how much I missed it. No one else could fill two syllables with as much love as she could, and she didn't even have to try.

"Wait." She didn't realize, either, the effect that her voice had on me. She didn't realize that I would follow any command she gave, which may have accounted for the involuntary shudder that ran through her body when I obeyed. I threw her a questioning glance, waiting for her next order. She ran a hand through her hair, then hugged her knees to her chest. With a start, she looked up at me and stammered, "Hu- human moment," before hurrying to the bathroom.

**This isn't exactly where I intended to end the chapter, but its getting pretty long, and I am just really impatient. I also know that there haven't been 5 reviews yet. I guess I got a little ahead of myself. It's not about the reviews, it's about the story that is being told. And I just can't wait. It's pretty exciting, actually.**

**This is turning out to be a longer note than I intended, but I promise I'm almost done. I want to say a big thanks to everyone who has read this far, it really means a lot to me. The next chapter might not come out quite as fast as this one, since I'm still trying to decide what I want to happen. Feel free to make any suggestions, I'm always open for ideas. Have a lovely day!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for joining me again. Sorry it took so long, but I hope it was worth the wait.**

**DISCLAIMER:** **Twilight, and everything associated with it, does not belong to me in any way, shape, or form.**

**Edward POV**

_I had waited so long to hear her say my name, I hadn't even known how much I missed it. No one else could fill two syllables with as much love as she could, and she didn't even have to try._

"_Wait." She didn't realize, either, the effect that her voice had on me. She didn't realize that I would follow any command she gave, which may have accounted for the involuntary shudder that ran through her body when I obeyed. I threw her a questioning glance, waiting for her next order. She ran a hand through her hair, then hugged her knees to her chest. With a start, she looked up at me and stammered, "Hu- human moment," before hurrying to the bathroom._

I stared after her in confusion. It was times like these when I regretted the fact that Bella was the only exception to my gift. If I could only know what she was thinking about, maybe I could help. No, stop that, I scolded myself. She needs to figure this out for herself, whatever this is. No butting in. I repeated the mantra to myself, using all of my control to stop from breaking down the door and demanding an explanation. I sat on her bed, and prepared to wait, forever, if necessary. It could have been minutes, hours, even decades and I wouldn't have known the difference. Time had ceased to hold meaning for me, when the only time that mattered was the time I spent with her.

**Bella POV**

You've really outdone yourself this time, I told myself, splashing cold water on my face. My delusions had escalated from voices to visions. He had made it undeniably clear that he would never come back, and I believed what he had said more than I believed what I saw with my own two eyes. Talking to my imagination was just the icing on the cake. I stared at the stranger in the mirror, hoping that she could help me forget. I sighed and tried to clear my head. After the dream I had, it was no surprise that I was seeing him now. I could still remember the feel of his arms around me, his hands stroking my hair, his voice whispering in my ear. I had no idea what I had imagined him saying, but then I had never known what to expect from him. I only know that his words were soft spoken, the way he would talk when he was telling me how much he loved me. I wondered if any of it was true, or if he had been lying to me from the start. No, I figured, he had probably thought he loved me, but when he finally came to his senses, couldn't stand the thought of living a lie any longer. That would perfectly explain the abrupt change in personality. I took deep breaths to calm my racing heart, and turned on the shower. A long, steamy shower was exactly what I needed to start the day off on a better foot. While waiting for the water to heat up, I caught myself humming a familiar tune. My lullaby. If I closed my eyes, I could almost imagine it was him. My voice could never match his dulcet tones exactly, but the running water mostly obscured the discrepancies. I didn't think that his song would ever cease to have its soothing effect over me, and by the time I had finished my shower I felt immensely better. There was no hurry, so I took my time before heading back to my bedroom. I put my pajamas back on, in case Charlie hadn't left yet. I still wasn't comfortable walking around the house in only a towel. I don't know what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn't what I found.

**Edward POV**

Her hair was still wet and matted from the shower; she obviously hadn't tackled it with a brush yet. She was still wearing her favorite gray sweat pants and an old t-shirt, the same outfit she had been wearing last night. Her heart literally skipped a beat when she saw me, then continued at a pace that was too fast to be healthy. I may have been a little rusty on my medical knowledge, but having a perfect memory had its uses.

"You need to sit down," I told her quietly, "before you faint." She did as I asked, but instead of coming next to me as I had hoped, she stumbled over to the old rocking chair. I had known the instant she woke up that there was no turning back now, that I had long passed the point of no return. I waited for her to pass judgment, to tell me what my fate was. Either I would spend the rest of my existence with her, or she could send me away, for good this time. This time around, the decision was in her hands and I would respect her wishes. The look on her face passed from confusion to relief, and finally settled at worried. My brows furrowed as I tried to understand what she could possibly be thinking.

"What's wrong?" I asked carefully, afraid to upset her any more.

"I could ask you the same thing," she replied with just as much caution. When I didn't answer, she continued. "Something must have happened, or you wouldn't be here. I'm surprised you didn't send Alice, actually, unless," worry turned to panic, "she's okay, isn't she?" The idea was so ludicrous, that Alice would let anything happen to her or anyone else, but I held back my laughter and merely sighed.

"Everything is fine, Bella," I assured her. "Everyone is doing just fine. You have nothing to worry about."

"Speak for yourself," she muttered under her breath. I don't think she meant for me to hear, but before I could figure out what she meant, she clearly addressed me. "Well, you did make it perfectly clear that what happens to your family is none of my business." She looked down at the end of her statement, unable to meet my eyes.

"Bella," I started, intending to contradict her statement. But I realized that what she said was the simple truth. I had mercilessly cut her off and she had every right to want nothing to do with me. But she had shown genuine concern when she thought something had happened to Alice made me hope, even though Alice had not been the one to decide to leave. She still cared about my family, that much was true, but I wondered if she could still care about me. When she saw that I had no intent to continue, she glared.

"Are you going to answer my questions?" she asked coldly. "From earlier. Where have you been?" I noticed the rephrasing. She didn't mention how she hadn't eaten, hadn't slept, had cried until she couldn't breathe. I thought out my answer carefully, so as to not give anything away.

"I was doing what I thought was best for you," I said slowly. "There was some unfinished business to take care of."

"Could you be any vaguer?" she scoffed. "Tell me the truth, Edward, for once. Don't sugar coat it, don't edit, just spit it out. Don't I deserve at least that much?" Her question stung, because we both knew that she deserved so much more than I could possibly offer. It was my turn to avoid her gaze, so I stared at my feet while answering.

**Bella POV**

The moment he took his onyx eyes off mine, I knew we were finally getting somewhere. If he wanted to lie, he would do it straight to my face. Telling the truth required much more concentration, hence looking at the floor.

"Don't make this about me Bella," he made one last feeble attempt to avoid the question.

"But it's always been about you, hasn't it Edward?" I practically shouted at him. The anger had resurfaced, now that I was assured the safety of his family, the people I had hoped to one day claim as my family. "_You_ are the one that took off. I will never understand how you can be completely in love with someone one day and completely not the next. Without explanation, without warning, Edward, you did everything but take our memories with you. You didn't leave me anything. Tell me again how you were doing what was best for me."

"I was protecting you," he thundered. Any normal person would have shrunk back in fear, but I was glad to be getting some kind of emotion out of him. "Everything I have ever done since the day we met has been in your best interests."

"Prove it," I hissed. "Start from the end, and work your way back."

"Do you honestly have no idea how much danger I put you in just by being in the same room?" he was incredulous now. "Not to mention the rest of my family, much less the rest of my kind."

"That has never bothered me, and you know it," I threw back. "And since when do you get to choose who I hang out with? I know what the risks are, but I decided a long time ago that I don't care." I stressed the last two words, hoping that it would sink into his thick skull this time. "Being with you far surpasses everything else." Okay, so that last part had slipped out. I hadn't meant to make this about my undying love, but if that's how the cookie crumbled, then so be it. His sharp and unnecessary intake of breath surprised me, but not near as much as what he said.

"Is that present tense?" his silky voice turned husky, tense, on the verge of breaking. I shook my head in disbelief, unable to imagine why he couldn't understand my attachment to him. That, plus only Edward would pay attention to insignificant details like what tense I had spoken in.

"Past, present, and future," was my reply and I did my best to hold his gaze. His eyes were smoldering, something that I hadn't realized I had missed so much until now.

**The next chapter should be up soon, but, as always, I would love to know what you think. Until next time...**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: The fabulous Twilight and all of its marvelous characters belong to the ever impressive Stephenie Meyer, not myself :(**

**Bella POV**

"_Is that present tense?" his silky voice turned husky, tense, on the verge of breaking. I shook my head in disbelief, unable to imagine why he couldn't understand my attachment to him. That, plus only Edward would pay attention to insignificant details like what tense I had spoken in._

"_Past, present, and future," was my reply and I did my best to hold his gaze. His eyes were smoldering, something that I hadn't realized I had missed so much until now._

"Bella," the way he groaned my name sent shivers up my spine, "distract me before I do something we both regret." I doubt that I would ever regret anything that involved the two of us, but I was more than happy to comply with his request. There are some roads that I wasn't ready to travel down, not yet at least. I bit my lip nervously, knowing that I should tell him that I was best friends with a werewolf, being stalked by a vampire that wouldn't rest until I was dead, and about to fail Calculus. Should being the operative word. I racked my brain for something to talk about, anything, but I was stuck with thoughts of only him. Then again, maybe some roads are unavoidable.

"I will always love you. No matter how far you run, or how long you're gone, or how much danger I get myself in," I threw the blame on myself, hoping it would ease his pain. "I will never cease to want to be with you." An uncomfortable silence settled over us. Me, not wanting to say anymore, and him, uncertain of how to respond. At least, that is how I read the look on his face. Indecision, unknowing, and doubt twisted into one expression.

"You aren't making this any easier, Bella," he muttered through gritted teeth.

"Who said it was supposed to be easy?" I asked incredulously. "Last time I checked, relationships between humans and vampires tended to be difficult, but possible." I let out a deep breath, unaware that I had been holding it in. It was now or never, the time to get everything out on the table. My choice of words hadn't been the best, I'd admit, but that didn't make them any less true.

"And what if it is impossible," he breathed. "What do we do then?"

"It isn't, and you know it," I retorted, thankful to be getting somewhere. "We were doing just fine until you walked away."

"Oh, yes, let me recall correctly," he started. "That was after you were nearly killed by James because I allowed you to exist, but before a member of my own family nearly attacked you because of a paper cut. Then here I am, always on the verge of falling for the temptation and drinking your blood until there isn't a drop left." So I wasn't the only one that was angry. That's nice to know.

"If you were always so convinced that we were doomed to failure," I asked icily, "why didn't you leave before my birthday, before the summer, heck, before prom?" He sighed again, something that was becoming really annoying.

"I wanted it to work, so badly," he confessed. He looked like he was about to explain just why he wanted it to work, but he stopped himself. "It just… _doesn't_." The awkward silence enveloped us again. A year ago, this would never have happened, I told myself. Our silences had always been comforting, filled with intangible things that didn't need voices to express themselves. Now, there was a tension between us, thick enough to cut with a knife.

"How long will you be here?" I tried to keep my voice even, but I could only manage a whisper in my current state. His face looked pained, but I needed an answer. Every second he spent here added exponentially to the suffering I would feel when he left. Even with him in the same room, I could still feel the gaping hole in my chest, like it was a square peg and a round hole. Edward's presence covered the hole, but couldn't fill it completely.

"That depends." From the strain in his voice, I guessed that I wasn't distracting him like he wanted. But that didn't stop me from continuing.

"Enough with the ambiguity," I finally snapped and the rage I had been holding in, for the most part, made itself known. "Give me a straight answer or you can walk away right now. I'm done with trying to figure out what this is, Edward, especially if you refuse to help. I can't do it anymore." I blinked furiously to hold back the tears. "I just can't." He looked at me, I avoided his gaze, and we both knew it was the truth. There had been so much pain, on both sides, that separation was the only solution. This time, though, it would be a mutual decision, reached independently by both sides. That way, maybe we could get over the pain faster. I wasn't going to deny that him leaving on better terms wouldn't still hurt, because I knew it would. But being part of the decision, having no regrets, I was sure that it would be easier for me to move on.

"If that's how you feel," he spoke slowly, forming each word carefully, "then this is goodbye." He looked up at me, searching my face for something. I didn't know what he was looking for, but he sure wasn't going to find it. I put on my mask, the same one that I had been using for months now, to hide the pain. It wasn't unfamiliar, because I had been using it for years before this latest fiasco. When Renee would apologize for being dependent on me, instead of the other way around, when she had told me about Phil and Florida and Forks, when Charlie tried so hard to get things right between us. In all of these instances, I would hide behind my blank face, knowing that they would never see through it. If Edward could, it would certainly be a first. I thought that he knew me so well, better than anyone else, and therefore he stood a chance. I waited for his reaction.

**Edward POV**

I'm not sure what I expected when I looked at her face. Pain? Confusion? No, that was last time. This was different. I saw exactly what I wanted to see. Absolutely nothing. Her face betrayed no emotion, and it stung like a thousand knives would have if I were human. Besides, it should have made me happy. This was clearly what she wanted, right? She had come to this conclusion on her own, as she should have long ago.

I turned abruptly and was out the window as fast as I could. I ran, not knowing my destination until I was already there. Through the forest, the wind pushing my hair out of my face, I was blind to everything until a Victorian mansion appeared before me. The place that I had called home for several years was unchanged, left exactly as it was when my family had lived there. It was eerie, seeing it empty like this. Not just seeing, but hearing. Normally, I would be dealing with the thoughts of each of my family members. I found myself missing them. Although we had been apart for months now, their absence had been concealed by another, one that was endlessly deeper. My family's presence was nothing compared to hers, I had always known that. But she had made it clear that we were over, and it was all I could do to remain standing.

I was inside now, surrounded by white sheets that covered the furniture. I pulled aside one in particular, and sat down on the bench of my piano. My fingers trembled as they moved over the ivory keys, almost as if they had a mind of their own. I knew what I wanted to play, but I couldn't manage to get even the first note out. The lullaby that I had written for her seemed insignificant compared to the feelings I was now dealing with. Another melody formed in my head, one that was more bittersweet. I tested with different sounds, letting the music rise and fall on its own accord. This song was enough to break my heart over and over again, reminding me of our break up with each chord. If it were possible, I knew that tears would be streaming down my face, and I regretted the fact that no one would ever hear this song. It was enough to make anyone fall to their knees in sadness, and I wished that the entire world could feel my misery now. Everyone except her, that is.

My hands continued to move themselves as my brain ran full speed. I tried desperately to figure out my next move, but all of the scenarios ended with me still missing her. The one thing that I had lived for had chosen to remove me from her life. I finally found another option, a way out, but decided to forgo it at least for now. She may have wanted me out of her life, but surely she would be at least a little upset if I removed myself from the world? As I pondered this question, the first rain drops began to fall.

**Bella POV**

I busied myself with chores around the house, refusing to think about what had happened this morning. We were running low on milk; I would have to go to the store later to get some. Jake had wanted to do something today; I would have to call him later to cancel. No matter how much I wanted to get done, I always put it off until later, which left me with nothing to do in the present. I turned on the television, and it flickered to life. ESPN, the last channel it had been tuned to, was debating the future of the latest steroid addict. I flipped mindlessly through the channels, only pausing on the weather channel to see that rain was in the forecast for the rest of the foreseeable future. Great. Just fabulous. I finally settled on a movie channel, but I couldn't even tell you who was in it. I fell asleep before long, knowing that I would have to face my dreams eventually.

I dreamt that I was back in my room, alone this time. I heard the window creak open, and slowly turned around. When no one entered, I slowly approached the windowsill, hoping that it was all a big joke. Any second now, he would step out of the shadows and scream "Gotcha!" making me jump, possibly fall over, but it would only be an excuse to hold me in his arms. None of this happened however, and I was confused. He was supposed to be here, I knew that much. His recent presence only made the absence stronger. It was like I was back in the forest again, eternally searching for him. I crossed my arms and pouted, thinking that he would see how upset I was and come rushing to my side. Instead, I heard a knock at the door. This is new, I frowned, wondering who could be entering my dreams that would have to knock.

It wasn't until I was sitting up on the couch that I realized the knock was real, not part of my subconscious. I stumbled to the front door, but it burst open a fraction of a second before I got there. My eyes widened in shock as a cold hand pinned my arms behind my back while another covered my mouth to muffle the scream.

**Yay for cliffies! Now, I want to know your guess as to who it is. If you get it right, I'll send you a snippet of the next chapter. If you get it wrong, I'll still send you a snippet. Everyone's a winner!**


	5. Chapter 5

**I was surprised by how many of you thought that it was Victoria. No one got the fully correct answer, but two people got close by guessing Alice and/or Emmett. Congratulations to you, **Razhelxox ** and **karnythia. **Thanks to everyone who reviewed.**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I STILL do not own Twilight or any of its amazingness. **

**Bella POV**

When I realized it was futile to scream, I gave Emmett my best impression of the death stare. He laughed at me, but refused to slacken his grip. My expression changed to confusion, again, as Alice, Jasper, and Rosalie followed him through the door. I tried to mumble something and Alice laughed.

"Let her go, Em," she said. "Trust me, it's worth it." He grudgingly released me, and I immediately backed up until he was out of my personal space. Alice gave me a pointed look, and asked, "Now, Bella, what were you trying to say?" I felt my face flush, then repeated my question.

"Don't you have to be invited in?" My blush deepened at their howls of laughter, but Jasper contained the emotion long enough to reply, "Myth, Bella, purely myth."

Luckily for me, their attention span wasn't much longer than that of a small child, and the laughter quickly subsided. I glanced curiously at Rosalie. It had been months since I had last seen her, and her beauty still took my breath away. Out of all the Cullens, her presence surprised me most. I had always been close to Alice and Emmett, and I understood that Alice hated being away from Jasper, but Rosalie's dislike of me was still apparent in her demeanor. She noticed me watching her and sighed in exasperation.

"Don't look so surprised to see me," she complained. "I'm only here for Edward." I winced at his name, something that would have gone unnoticed by most, but not with them. Jasper whispered something in Alice's ear, no doubt about whatever my emotions were at that point, and I knew that Rosalie and Emmett understood him perfectly. Darn you vampires with your supersensitive hearing abilities.

"Am I allowed to know what I'm feeling right now?" I asked angrily. "Or is that being added to the list of what I don't know?"

"What else are you curious about?" Alice replied, perfectly avoiding my first question. I rolled my eyes, but went along with her anyway.

"It seems like anytime I ask about something, I can never get a straight answer," I told her candidly. "All I'm asking for is the truth."

"That's reasonable, I guess," Alice allowed. "Go ahead and tell her Jasper."

"Besides the obvious acute physical pain," he started, "there is surprise, uncertainty, doubt, and hint of…" he paused, testing my reaction,"regret."

"Well, I'm surprised that you all are here, but I'm not really sure why you came back, which accounts for the doubt too because I don't think you'll be staying long." That just about summed everything up. Except… ah. "So that's it." I turned to Alice. "You had a vision." She nodded. "Of me and," I stumbled over his name, "Edward." Another nod. "And you guessed that I would be unhappy with how it all turned out, and you came back to check on me." It all made perfect sense now.

"Not exactly," she confessed. "I saw how Edward would respond to your little conversation, and I'm not about to let him do anything stupid. He considered Italy, for goodness' sake." Her eyebrows furrowed, as she concentrated intensely. "Luckily for us, he seems pretty stable at the moment, but that doesn't mean he won't change his decision again." I could feel all of their stares on me as I sorted through what Alice had said.

"Italy?" That had come up in one of our conversations, a long time ago, and I struggled with the details. "You mean, he was going to get himself killed?" That was pure insanity.

"Bella, you are the only thing that he's been living for since he met you." I was surprised at Rosalie's outburst, but let her continue. Alice dragged Jasper and Emmett out of the room, knowing that this conversation was meant to be private. I heard her turn on the radio full blast, blaring some heavy metal garage-band type music. "Do you think we would have come if all that was at stake was your relationship?" She spat out the last word.

"What relationship?" I retorted angrily. "Or didn't Alice tell you that it's over?"

"She told us what you both said, and we all agreed that it was far from over."

"That isn't any of your business."

"It becomes our business the instant Edward decides to off himself because you won't let him in your pathetic little life." Ok, that last part stung a little, but I agreed whole heartedly.

"I still don't see what any of this has to do with me." I was exasperated now, desperately searching for a way to be left out of it completely.

"You are the only one that can stop him, make him change his mind."

"And what if I don't want to? What if I just want to be left alone?"

"Then you might as well be his judge, jury, and executioner," she hissed. "Could you honestly live with yourself if you allowed the man you loved to kill himself because he couldn't be with you?"

"That's not my fault!" Hot tears were leaking out of my eyes, but Rosalie smiled.

"But you do love him," she said proudly. "Admitting it is the first step to recovery, but refusing to deny it works just as well." She paused as Alice reentered the room, towing Jasper and Emmett behind her, all three of them looking extremely smug.

"That is why she really came," Alice admitted. "If anyone could worm a confession out of you, it's our Rose. I, obviously, am the only one that knows what's going on. Emmett was supposed to restrain you from doing something else stupid. We needed Jasper to make sure that you didn't go catatonic on us again." She noticed my raised eyebrows. "Yes, we know all about that. Esme made me promise to check up on you periodically, even if Edward forbade it. I watched him too, so I knew the moment he cracked and came back."

"Why didn't Carlisle and Esme come with you?" I wondered aloud.

"Carlisle is working and Esme didn't want him to have to stay alone," Alice replied smoothly. "I'm still not sure how long this will take."

"Speaking of time, I'd like to get this show on the road," Rosalie said. "The rain is getting worse by the minute, and I didn't bring an umbrella." She glared at Alice, as if she should have been warned about the weather. Alice simply shrugged.

"I was focused on Edward and Bella," she apologized. "But you're right, we don't have time to waste." She tried to concentrate again, then frowned. "Bella, why did your future just disappear?" Before I could react, the phone rang. I ran to the kitchen to answer it.

"Hello?" I asked breathlessly, hoping to God or whoever else was listening that it was him, calling to beg me to reconsider.

"Bella?" Jacob didn't try to hide the urgency in his voice, and that only made me more worried. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?" I asked carefully.

"Can you meet me outside?" he asked hurriedly. "We need to talk."

"Sure, I'll be right out." I didn't ask why he wouldn't come inside; I'm sure that the presence of vampires didn't help his self control. When I hung up the phone, Emmett was by my side in an instant.

"Bella, we need to get you out of here," he told me gruffly. "I can't explain now, but…" I cut him off before he could continue.

"Yes, I know there's a werewolf in my front yard." His face was shocked, but he quickly regained his composure. "And if I'm not out there in ten seconds, he's going to think I'm being held against my will and barge in here to rescue me. None of us want that, right?" I glanced at the others, who nodded slowly in agreement. "I'll make it quick, I promise." I was thankful that they didn't try to stop me as I turned to go.

**For those of you that didn't watch Buffy or Angel, that first part might not make sense. Basically, part of the vampire myth according to them is that vampires can't cross the threshold someone's home unless they are invited in. I hope that clears up any confusion. **

**I must say, writing that part between Rose and Bella was the most fun I've had in a while. Sneaky little thing, isn't she? I am so proud...**

**Thanks for sticking with me so far, but the journey is only just beginning. What will Jacob say about the vampires' return? Does he really have anything to worry about? What happens if he decides to confess his feelings to Bella, again, before she goes to see Edward? gasp That could end badly. And if you think I wouldn't do it, then you must not know me very well… All of these questions will be answered in the next chapter, I promise. Until then, please review ****:)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Where we left them...**

"_Yes, I know there's a werewolf in my front yard." Emmett's face was shocked, but he quickly regained his composure. "And if I'm not out there in ten seconds, he's going to think I'm being held against my will and barge in here to rescue me. None of us want that, right?" I glanced at the others, who nodded slowly in agreement. "I'll make it quick, I promise." I was thankful that they didn't try to stop me as I turned to go. _

I pulled the hood of my jacket up over my head as I stepped out into the rain, cursing my lack of an umbrella. The light drizzle from earlier had turned into a torrential downpour, but what else was new when you lived in one of the rainiest places on Earth? I was glad that Jake was waiting for me in the forest, so that the trees provided some protection from the onslaught of rain.

"What?" I had to shout in order to be heard over the sound of rushing water all around us.

"You know what!" he yelled back angrily. "Why didn't you warn me that they were coming back?" I had never seen this kind of rage in his eyes, the fury causing him to tremble slightly. I knew that if he didn't calm down, we would have a serious situation on our hands.

"I didn't know, Jake, I'm sorry," I begged for forgiveness, lowering my voice considerably, lest we be overheard. "I swear I didn't know." He believed me, thankfully, and stopped shaking.

"Are they all back?" he wanted to know, although I had a feeling he was worried about one in particular.

"No," I told him honestly. "Carlisle and Esme are still gone."

"So he's here then?" Jacob was fuming again.

"Yes, well, no, not here exactly." Now I was just confusing us both. "He was, but he left." I stared at the raindrops hitting the forest floor, unable to meet his eyes, knowing what I would see there. Relief. Joy. Glad that he had removed himself from my life, again.

Instead of saying something he might regret, he pulled me into his arms, and it was like having my own personal heater. I relaxed and let my arms snake their way around his neck. After all that I had been through, all that I had put myself through really, he had always been there with a shoulder that I could cry on. No more, I promised myself. I couldn't always count on him and only him to be there to comfort me.

"I really have to go now," I told him quietly.

"No, you don't," he answered fiercely, and pushed me back to look me in the eyes. "You don't owe them anything. They have no right to barge in here and…"

"What if I want them to?" I interrupted him, pleading my case. "Or does that just make me weak and desperate? Am I less of a human being because I need to be with him?" I slowly exhaled, glad to get that off my chest. Jacob stared at me in shock, not comprehending how deep my attachment to the Cullens was. Then, my exact wording caught up with me. Somewhere in my mind, I had gotten the Cullens switched with only the one in particular. Jake still looked incredulous, not caring about the rain that was continually beating down on us. I bit my lip in anticipation to how he would take my confession. I had never been completely honest with him like this, never fully explaining the depth of my pain, always hiding behind some other pretense.

"I really can't change your mind, can I?" I shook my head slowly, wishing with all my being that this could be the end of the conversation. But I knew Jake better than that, and I knew that he wouldn't go down without a fight. I wanted so badly to explain the entire situation to him, but I couldn't decide where to start.

"He loves me," I was trying to convince myself more than Jacob. I took a deep breath and tried again. "He loves me, but he doesn't think that we can be together because of what he is." He snorted, I glared, he apologized.

"Sorry, but he's right you know. The whole lot of them is all dangerous."

"And what does that make you, a harmless bunny rabbit?" I sputtered. "Besides, I know what the risks are, being around any of you. And I don't care." It seemed like I was having this conversation a lot today, but I hoped that this would be the last time. I pulled away from him, hoping to make it to the car before he could stop me, but was hindered by a tree root, one of those evil ones that stick up out of the ground. I had only started to fall before Jake caught me, pulling me up straight with a bemused expression in his eyes.

"I have to find him," I pleaded, trying to convey as much seriousness as possible. A crack of lightning sizzled through the air, distracting him long enough for me to wriggle out of his grasp and hurry over to the yellow Porsche in my driveway. I didn't recognize it, but I only knew one family that liked their cars absurdly fast. As I yanked open the passenger door, I caught a blur that I recognized as Alice hop into the driver's seat. I turned to glance in the backseat as Rosalie entered, alone, and the engine purred to life. I smiled thankfully at her, then asked, "Where are Emmett and Jasper?"

"Emmett is staying to keep that dog away from your house," Rosalie sneered.

"And Jasper is staying to keep Emmett away from said dog," Alice explained, expertly maneuvering the sports car out of the driveway and down the street. "We didn't want anything to happen while we're gone." I didn't miss the double meaning to her words, and I raised my eyebrows.

"What did you see?" I wondered, while Alice furrowed her brows in frustration.

"That's just the thing," she was definitely annoyed. "I can't see him doing anything. I can't see him at all. Or you, by extension, if you're with him." It made sense if you thought about it. They were wolves after all, acting purely on instinct. As I watched the town fly by, buildings ran together in an endless stream and I didn't even blink when Alice ran straight through a red light. The landscape turned green when we zoomed onto the highway, and then I realized that I didn't even know where we were going. I had a strong suspicion about who would be at our destination, but I needed to be a hundred percent sure.

"Where is he?" I asked softly.

"Home," Alice said simply, and pushed the gas pedal harder. I leaned my head against the cool window, trying to concentrate on what I would say to him. Rosalie had been exceptionally quiet until now, speaking up for the first time.

"You'll figure it out, Bella," she assured me, placing a cool hand on my upper arm. "These things tend to work themselves out." More than anything, I wanted to believe her. My heart did, at least, but my head was convinced that things had already worked themselves out. This is what I had wanted, wasn't it? I was the one who pushed him away this morning, the one who told him to get out. Alice slammed on the brakes and stopped in the middle of the room. I jerked forward, not wearing the proper restraints. Seatbelts didn't really matter when you were running after the love of your life.

"Alice!" I screeched. "Are you trying to get me killed?"

"Bella, you're not having second thoughts about this," she growled. I glared at her, about to protest. "I may not be able to read your mind, but I know when your decisions are wavering. I can still put two and two together. "

"Bella, you're miserable without him," Rosalie reminded me. "You don't sleep well, you don't laugh, Bella, you don't even blush like you used to. For whatever reason, you can't be yourself without him. And it's the same vice versa. You two complete each other, in more ways than one." I gaped at her, amazed at this new side of Rosalie.

"How would you know?" I wondered.

"Because I get the same way when Emmett leaves, even if it's only hunting for a weekend. And Alice, too, if Jasper gets called away." Alice nodded her head furiously. "Maybe it's not as deep as your pain, seeing that he was gone for a long time," she paused, "but we feel it too. We understand, Bella. You just have to trust us with this." She gave me a pointed look. "You do still trust us, right?"

"Of course I do," I stated emphatically. "But..."

"No buts," Rosalie said firmly. "End of discussion." Before she had finished her statement, Alice was back on the road.

"He does make a good point though," I continued, not to be deterred. "I'm only human, and he's not." Alice glanced into the rearview mirror, seeking some kind of confirmation. Rosalie said something too fast for me to understand, then Alice turned back to me.

"I'm going to talk to him before you," she told me. "Butter him up, so to speak. It'll be fine, Bella." Her words soothed me, knowing that I wouldn't be going in alone, that I would have some kind of support, and before I knew it Alice had found the obscure turn off that I knew so well. So he had gone home, I thought. Interesting. I had expected him to get as far as possible, away from me, and anything that reminded him of me. To come back to the place we had spent so much time together was oddly comforting. I knew that had our roles been reversed, I would have done the same thing. Maybe they were right, about us completing each other, being two halves of something neither of us could comprehend.

Alice pulled the Porsche directly up in front of the house, not bothering to be inconspicuous. He had probably heard their thoughts from a mile away. There was no use in trying to hide anything around him, I knew that much.

**Edward POV**

For once, they hadn't tried to hide their thoughts. While they were still miles away, I heard Rosalie wondering something about getting rid of fleas. How fitting, I thought, that Alice's thoughts were concentrated on how little had changed in our absence. _It's like we never even left_. If only it could be. I knew Bella was with them, from the way Rosalie felt uncomfortable in the back seat. Alice was driving, of course, and I calculated the time I had left in solitude. Under five minutes, give or take depending on how much traffic had to weave through. Less, considering that it was still early morning and not many people were awake yet, much less out and about. I continued playing my piano, blissfully ignoring whatever was coming next. With Alice involved, it was almost pointless to try and control the situation, knowing that it had already been tweaked until the outcome was favorable. I wasn't sure what favorable meant in Alice's book, but the best that I could hope for was forgiveness. For everything I put them through, for everything I couldn't tell them, and for everything I still wouldn't tell them. Some things were best kept private, and I hoped Alice would understand. I wasn't sure of her intentions by bringing Bella here, or even how she had been convinced to come. She had made it perfectly clear that I was to disappear and never come back. My fingers paused at the sound of a well-tuned engine pulling up in front of the house. I let out a low whistle at the spectacular vehicle Alice had found.

_Nice, isn't it? _She walked through the door, alone, and I smiled in response. _I was surprised the rental company had one, too. I may just have to acquire one of these permanently…_She continued thinking about her glorious Porsche until I cleared my throat. Get to the point, I decided to say, but she answered before I could form the words.

"Edward Cullen, have you lost your freaking mind?"

**I hope you snickered there at the end, because I definitely did. Yay for the longest chapter yet! The next chapter is the one I have been itching to right since I started this whole thing, but unfortunately it will be a while before I can get to it. I'm going out of town for a week and won't be able to write while I'm gone. **

**Until then, there is a matter of great importance that I need your input on. As the readers, you are the people I am aiming to please, and here is your chance to make your views known. Whose point of view should the next chapter be in? Edward? Bella? Alice? Other? Let me know. You have the entire week I am gone to tell me, because once I get back and start writing, it will be too late. Many thanks for making it this far ****:)**


	7. Chapter 7

Alice POV

**For the POV, I had two requests for Alice, one for Bella, and one for Edward. So we'll be seeing a bit through the eyes of everyone in this chapter. Sorry you had to wait so long, if you have been waiting, which I find hard to believe, but nothing really surprises me anymore.**

**On with the show…**

**Alice POV**

"_Edward Cullen, have you lost your freaking mind?"_

He winced, but continued playing his stupid piano and didn't turn to look at me. I continued glaring at him, knowing fully well that my thoughts were bothering him more than the daggers being shot from my eyes.

"What do you want, Alice?" he asked wearily. "Or do you even have a purpose in coming here?" I smiled and slowly walked up behind him.

"You underestimate me, brother dear," I crooned in his ear. "And not even your stubbornness can stop me now." I cheerfully bounced around the piano bench to take a seat next to him. He sighed in frustration, holding his nose between his thumb and forefinger. He really is trying to get out of this, I mused.

"Did you ever think about what she wants?" he accused me. "She wanted me to leave."

"She wanted you to explain," I corrected, "there is a difference. And she has regretted sending you away ever since you climbed out that god forsaken window."

"How would you…ah," he realized, "you brought Jasper."

"I needed to be a hundred percent positive," I shrugged, "and you know how I hate being away from him. You honestly believe that I didn't think this through?" He fell silent, unable to contradict me.

"He told me that he's never felt anything like it," I said softly, remembering Jasper's fib from earlier. "There was anger on the surface, sure, but underneath that is an ache that never stops throbbing. Whatever she said to you this morning was her body trying to protect itself from completely falling apart." His face constricted in agony, not wanting to hear of Bella's pain.

"I noticed, too," he admitted. "She wasn't exactly herself." _You don't know the half of it_, I thought, and he cringed. I took a deep, unnecessary breath before continuing aloud.

"I know that I promised not to look at her future, but I couldn't stop," I hurried through the explanation. "Like it or not, I'm as in tune to her as any one of us, and after my first vision I had to keep watching out for her. Edward, she was almost in a catatonic state, Charlie considered institutionalizing her, he couldn't help or do anything at all, she's severely depressed, and now she just covers it up all the time. She doesn't have fun, she rarely talks, she never sleeps," I bit back the tears that would never come, "The Bella that we all love vanished along with you, and today is the first time in months that she has even resembled her old self."

"Her old self, as in the one that didn't want me to leave?" he asked incredulously. "You realize that you just contradicted yourself completely?"

"No," I was disgusted that he still didn't understand. "She was stubborn, Edward, she actually fought for something, even if it wasn't what she wanted. Trust me, it's a major improvement."

"If I could go back," he whispered, "I would find a way to make her forget everything, and really understand that I was doing what was best."

"You would take away all of her happiest memories?" I nearly screeched. "I think that you're confusing best with easiest. Things got a little too complicated, a little too risky, and you bolted. Edward, there's no denying it."

"You think that it was easy for me, to lie to her, to leave the only reason for my existence?" I would be surprised if Bella couldn't hear us from the car. I cursed myself for not parking further from the house. I knew that my last resort would have to be pulled out, no matter how much it hurt him. Everything would be better in the long run, I assured myself.

"If you and Bella are so against having this relationship, then why am I still seeing this?" I emphasized the last word meaningfully, then concentrated on my most recent visions. Bella and Edward, her sitting on his lap, his arms wrapped around her waist, at the beach watching the sun rise, both with the cutest grins plastered on their faces. Bella and Edward, lying down on a roof, holding hands, laughing at a funny joke. Bella and Edward, alone in his room, his face pained, hers waiting with a small smile, him leaning down to plant a chaste kiss on her lips, then dragging his face down to her neck and opening his mouth, the light flashing off his teeth…

"No!"

**Bella POV**

Alice had parked the car, put on the child lock (do those even come on sports cars, I wondered), and flitted into the house. Rosalie moved easily into the front seat and ran her fingers over the steering wheel, smiling to herself. I frowned at the fact that they had successfully made me their prisoner. Sure, I had come into the car willingly, but now I wanted nothing more than to run into his arms. I knew that Rosalie had been left with me to stop me from doing specifically that, and I understood that Alice wanted talk to him first, before I saw him. Actually, I appreciated it. At the time. But that had been a good while ago, and now I was getting antsy. Every now and then, I would hear a raised voice, but I could never make out what they were saying. Rosalie could of course, but she wasn't sharing. She hadn't said a word to me at all, in fact, since Alice left. All of a sudden, there was a shout from inside, and Rosalie cringed, weighing her options apparently. She glanced at me and sighed, before moving at superhuman speed out of the car and around to my side. I didn't even notice that she had unlocked it, or maybe she didn't, but my door opened and I was being pulled inside.

**Edward POV**

My entire being recoiled away from Alice's vision, my breathing becoming more labored. All I had to do was decide not to, and that would never happen. I tried to calm myself with my own thoughts, tuning out everything else, but it wasn't working. Alice was so confidant of her visions this time, it didn't seem to be something that was up for change. I could never turn her into one of us, I would die before putting her through that agony, anything but that. Alice cleared her throat, knowing how much torture she was putting me through, and I braced myself for her apology.

"It had to be done," she said sternly. "As does this." I lifted my head to find Bella staring at me from the doorway, with eyes as wide as the Mississippi River. I caught a flash of long blond hair, then Alice quickly followed Rosalie out the door. I knew that they were waiting to ambush either one of us, should we decide to walk out before sorting through our issues. Bella was still watching me carefully, and I returned her gaze with my own look of sorrow.

**Bella POV**

When I walked in the door, I could see that he was in pain, though from what I wasn't sure. I supposed Alice had shared something with him, something about me probably, and I twitched at realizing that I was the reason for his current state.

Where do I start? With how sorry I am? With how much I wish I could take it all back? What about how much I need him in my life? How much I had missed the sound of his velvety voice, the feel of his stone cold arms around me, the concentrated stare that always made me blush self consciously? Or did he want to say something. I thought about what I longed for him to tell me, the words clearly visible in my mind. Words may be a bit of a stretch for us right now, but… I cleared my throat, inspiration dawning, knowing exactly what I wanted to say. Or, more accurately, what I needed to hear.

"Play for me," I pleaded quietly, unsure of how he would take it. His face softened, nodded, and turned to face his piano. His fingers hesitated, then pressed down onto the keys, forming a familiar melody, but not the one I wanted. I moved closer, so that I was standing behind and to the left of him, and let him play for a while, soaking up his being there more than anything.

"Clair de Lune?" I asked mockingly. "Not exactly what I had in mind." His features tightened, as if he was holding himself back, and he paused while sorting through what I had said. When my meaning became clear, he bowed his head in defeat.

**Edward POV**

"I don't know if I can," I replied, and I noticed a single tear well up in her eyes. I couldn't bear to make my Bella shed another tear for me, so I quickly justified my statement. "You being so close after all this time, it's hard to focus on anything." After over a century of waiting, you would think that the words would come easily for the one that you love. Still, I didn't want to mess it up this time. I wanted her to know exactly what I felt, and how much I wished we could be together. I drew in a breath before continuing. "Playing that song requires me to think of my inspiration, and thinking of you is the most distracting thing in the world, especially when you're this close. Bella, you have no idea how intoxicating your presence is." This made her smile, and I paused for her to explain.

"Like a heroin addict, right?" Ah, so she was recalling our past conversations. I was surprised that she remembered, but chuckled anyway.

"Exactly." The silence settled around us, and I tentatively struck the first note of her lullaby. She faced me, and turned the full power of her big brown eyes on me, no trace of tears now. I can't quite describe the emotion there. The closest thing to it would be a perfect combination of passion, yearning, and incredulity. An odd mixture, no doubt, but there it was, etched onto the face of my reason for living, my lover, my soul mate, my everything. I could scarcely begin to hope that she thought of me the same way.

**So this is only part one of Bella/Edward figuring out exactly where they are. We all know how it ends, I'm not that crazy, but getting there is all the fun right? The next chapter should be up sometime this weekend, depending on how much free time I have to write. And no, we have not seen the last of Jacob ****:)**


	8. Chapter 8

Edward POV

**Hello, my lovelies. Two updates in three days. You guys are so lucky.**

**Edward POV**

"_Like a heroin addict, right?" Ah, so she was recalling our past conversations. I was surprised that she remembered, but chuckled anyway._

"_Exactly." The silence settled around us, and I tentatively struck the first note of her lullaby. She faced me, and turned the full power of her big brown eyes on me, no trace of tears now. I can't quite describe the emotion there. The closest thing to it would be a perfect combination of passion, yearning, and incredulity. An odd mixture, no doubt, but there it was, etched onto the face of my reason for living, my lover, my soul mate, my everything. I could scarcely begin to hope that she thought of me the same way._

"I'm sorry for earlier," she murmured, biting her lip. I recognized the habit as one that she only did when she was nervous or didn't know what to expect. I wanted so badly for this to be easy for her, I would gladly have taken the burden from her, but I knew that I couldn't. "I overreacted, and I shouldn't have yelled at you, especially after last night." She paused, reminiscing, no doubt, then continued. "It was all kind of surreal at first, you know? I couldn't understand why you would come back." She laughed before adding, "I thought that I had finally cracked, and it was all just one big hallucination." I had to smile at this. Of course, my Bella would be the one to blame her own insanity rather than accept my sudden reappearance. She had said all she was going to, apparently, and it was my turn now.

"I apologize as well," I started. "I shouldn't have come back, especially without warning, and breaking into your bedroom probably wasn't the smartest idea either." The list went all, one stupid decision after the other, leading us to right where we were. "Neither one of us was ready for any kind of," I struggled for the right word, "reunion, and I didn't help the situation at all."

"I was the one that sent you away," she reminded me.

"So I guess that makes us even."

"Yeah, I guess so." Her brows furrowed, and I could tell she was searching for a solution to our predicament. I sighed, knowing that she would never find what she was looking for. After all the hours I had thought about it, I knew firsthand that it just wouldn't work. I plucked a few chords of an unfamiliar melody, letting go and letting my fingers play by themselves. My eyes were closed, but I could feel Bella by my side, and that was enough. I held one last note, before pulling away from the piano and pulling her closer to me with one arm. She leaned her head onto my shoulder, and I could have stayed there forever. Eternity didn't sound so bad, as long as Bella was in it. I realized what I was thinking about, and stiffened. I had no intention of letting Alice's vision come true, and I would do anything to prevent it.

**Bella POV**

The tears were threatening to spill over any second, and I was no closer to finding a resolution. Sure, all of my thoughts had become a train crash when Edward started playing, and again when he put his arm around me, but even before that I had come up with a big fat nothing. I blinked furiously, and decided that if I couldn't think of anything by myself it was time to include Edward. I knew how frustrated it made him, not knowing what I was thinking, and even when he asked I always edited. But not now. I took a deep breath and began.

"It's time to face the facts." If only it were as easy as it sounds. He glanced down at me, and smiled softly, no doubt glad to be getting somewhere, finally.

"Let's." Edward paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts. "Suppose we have a vampire, who has no reason for existing without the company of a certain girl, a human girl." He looked at me pointedly, and I knew it was my turn.

"And suppose that said girl is utterly and irreversibly in love with said vampire." I raised my eyebrows, prompting him to continue where I left off.

"This vampire refuses to endanger the love of his life, and therefore," but I interrupted him. "Although the pair have previously decided that she is in fact a danger magnet and gets herself in as much or more trouble when he isn't there." I smiled gently at him before explaining. "Since you left, my visits to the hospitals have increased fairly drastically. I basically have my own parking spot at the ER," I joked, but he didn't seem to think it was funny.

"Isabella, what am I going to do with you," he scolded, and I couldn't help but murmuring, "I can think of a few things." He looked at me in amusement, so I continued with our scenario before I got completely sidetracked.

"Also, said vampire refuses to," I struggled with the wording, "deepen their physical relationship because he falsely assumes he would lose control and injure her."

"I thought we were sticking to the facts," he reminded me, but I ignored him. He rolled his eyes before going on. "So the vampire left for her safety," he emphasized, and it was my turn to roll my eyes. "However, he couldn't stay away, now he's returned, and the two of them are stuck." He summarized the ending, but I didn't mind. The sooner we finished this, the sooner we could move on to other things.

"Do you notice a pattern in all this?" He looked at me in confusion, so I answered my own question. "You, Edward, are screwing up our entire relationship because you want to keep me out of harm's way." He looked at the floor at my accusation, but didn't deny it. "If you could get past your issues with my safety, there would be nothing stopping us." I let the words hang in the air. He didn't say anything for a while, and I wondered if I had gone too far. I jumped in surprise when he abruptly stood, picked me up bridal style, and wordlessly carried me up the stairs. I had no idea where he was taking me, but I couldn't tear my gaze away from his for long enough to see where we were. He kicked open a door somewhere, but before I could look around my view was blocked by a tangled mess of bronze hair so I had to assume we were in his bedroom. His lips had glued themselves to my neck, moving in tantalizingly slow circles across my skin. A moan escaped my lips as his gradually worked their way up to my face.

"Edward," I gasped breathlessly, "what do you think you're doing?"

"Giving you what you want," he replied in my ear, while his cool breath made me shiver. I smiled against my will, knowing that he had no idea what his words did to me. He was still holding me in his arms and I struggled against his iron grasp to set my feet on the floor. He allowed me to do this, and started stepping forward, forcing me to move back. All too soon, I felt something obstructing my path, something about waist high, soft, but immovable. Edward leaned me back until I was lying on top of his bed, but he never removed his arms from around my waist. Our lips were locked in a frenzied passion, but he never went beyond anything we had already done. Everything was different, yet still the same. Not that I was complaining. I couldn't form coherent thoughts, really, much less verbalize them. I made one last attempt at stopping him, who knows why, but my inner virgin just wouldn't let herself go that easy.

"We need to finish," I could hardly finish this sentence, "our scenario." He lifted his face just far enough to look me in the eyes, searching for something there. I closed them, wanting him to make his own decision, without knowing what I was thinking. I had always been easy to read, and for someone who knew me as well as Edward, I might as well have been a walking billboard.

"I knew it." His husky voice washed over me in waves, and I opened my eyes in confusion. "You can't go through with this, any more than I can. Face it, Bella, we aren't that couple, the one that breaks down all their boundaries without a second thought. I want this just as much as you do, but it isn't us." I pretended to pout, although I knew he was telling the truth, then realized the implication of his words.

"But we are a couple," I smiled smugly, turning his own words on him.

"Only if you have no objections," he said hurriedly. "Although you didn't have any a few seconds ago…" his voice trailed off seductively and he smirked while I hit him playfully on the chest. I knew that it wouldn't hurt, he probably didn't even feel it, but it made me feel better. When he was done teasing me, I wiggled out from under him so that we could both lie on the bed. He snaked his arm around my shoulder and I leaned into him, much in the same position as earlier on the piano bench. Without doubt, the bed was more comfortable.

**Edward POV**

I held her loosely enough to make her comfortable, but tight enough that I knew she was mine. My Bella. I know that she didn't mean to fall asleep, but soon enough her breathing evened out and her heartbeat was steady. I knew it would be a while before the talking started, but I was content with just being next to her for now. I was pleasantly surprised by how well I could control my lust for her blood. The ache in my throat was not nearly as strong as it should have been and the scent of her blood wasn't appetizing, although I was still drawn to it. Instead of wanting to kill her, now I just wanted to never leave her side. That much I could live with.

_Edward._ Alice called to me through her thoughts. I silently decided to thank her for her considerateness, not waking Bella. _You're welcome. Rose and I are going back to the boys, so don't worry about us. Be careful with her, she's still fragile. And when the time comes, I know you'll make the right decision. Remember, you're not the only one who can give her what she wants._ My forehead creased in confusion, until she thought back to her vision. She wouldn't dare… _Oh yes I would, and so would anyone else. But she wants it to be you that turns her, she just doesn't know how to tell you. Keep an open mind, okay big brother? _I nodded my head a fraction of a inch in each direction, anything to get Alice out of my head. As she and her partner in crime turned away from the house, Alice already thinking about her return to Jasper, Rosalie thought something that surprised me even more than my control had.

_Finally, our family is back to normal._

**Another glance at the soft side of Rosalie. I hope it's not too much. **

**I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this story is nearing its end. I really wanted to finish before Breaking Dawn came out, so it will probably only be a few more chapters. Now. Go. Review.**


	9. Chapter 9

**I know I said that the story was winding down with only a few more chapters, but I lied. This is it, the grand finale. I haven't had as much time to write as I thought I would but I still want to finish before Friday so I crammed it all into this chapter. Enjoy it while it lasts everyone!**

**Bella POV**

I don't consciously remember waking up. I only know that he was there, and had been there, all the while I slept, however long that was. I didn't want to stir from the comfort of his arms, I didn't want to be separated from him ever again. Without warning, he let out a breath that I hadn't realized he had been holding in, and a shiver ran down my spine. I knew he was grinning, and I didn't care. I only snuggled deeper into his embrace, where he gladly let me stay for some amount of time.

When he did whisper in my ear that it was getting late in the afternoon, I realized that Charlie would be home soon from fishing, if he wasn't already. We slowly made our way downstairs, where bright light streamed in through the glass walls. Apparently, the storm had passed while I slept, but that didn't stop Edward from carrying me through the woods in a roundabout way to my backyard. He set me down on the forest floor, but I left my arms around his neck and pulled him closer for one last kiss.

"I'll see you tonight," he murmured, his eyes still closed. When he opened them, I noted that they were darker than I had ever seen before.

"You're thirsty," I stated the obvious, and backed away a fraction of an inch. "You should hunt, until it's dark enough for you to come back." He nodded miserably in agreement, and I knew that it pained him as much as me when we weren't together. We shared one last chaste kiss before parting ways, him to hunting, me to laundry.

The late afternoon dragged on, and it seemed like eternity before Charlie's cruiser pulled up into the driveway. I said hello as he walked through the doorway, followed by the massive form of Jacob Black. I froze in the middle of folding my favorite pair of sweats, eyes widening in horror. It would be hard to explain to Charlie if Jacob started asking questions, and I would hate to be the first to tell him that not only was Edward back, but we were together. I shook my head as inconspicuously as possible, and he raised his eyebrows, but didn't say anything. Charlie invited Jacob to stay for dinner, lasagna tonight, and he obliged. When it came time that decency demanded he leave, I followed him out the door.

"Are you going to tell me, or should I just guess until I get it right?" he wanted to know, and I couldn't find the heart, or the words, to tell him. "Fine. He came back, you forgave him for the living hell he put you through, and you never want to see me again." The pain in Jake's voice was obvious, and his expression was just as dejected.

"Jake, I will always want to be friends with you," I tried to convince him. "Kind of like I will always be in love with Edward." If I was trying to cheer him up, I was failing miserably. He walked away without looking back, ignoring me calling his name. I hoped that he would come around sooner rather than later, I just wished that he would let me help him. I went up to my room without a word to Charlie, and found Edward sitting in the rocking chair. I crawled wordlessly into his lap, and he held me, just like the old times. Sometime after the tears had dried on my cheeks, he carried me to the bed and kissed the top of my head. I turned my face upward to him and his lips claimed mine. His arms were still wrapped around my waist, and some part of me melted in his embrace. Before the kiss could get too heated, he pulled away and had the we-need-to-talk look written all over his face. I pretended to pout, but the look only worsened.

"Can't we just agree to go back to how things were?" I pleaded desperately.

"Going backwards is never productive," Edward stated wisely. "Just because you don't want to iron out the details of our relationship, doesn't mean it's unnecessary."

"What kind of details were you thinking off?" I wondered aloud, thinking back to earlier in his bedroom. My smirk must have given my thoughts away, because he admonished me quickly.

"I am still firm about some aspects," he articulated, "however, others are up for negotiation."

"Such as," I prompted. He collected his thoughts for a minute before continuing.

"What are our long term plans, Bella?" he asked carefully.

"Long term, as in eternity?" I replied with just as much caution. When he didn't argue with me, I bit my lip in anticipation. "I'm a vampire, of course. That's the only way to be with you." He didn't look happy at my announcement, but he didn't argue either.

**Edward POV**

Why, why did she insist on being so difficult? Couldn't she see that this was the one thing I couldn't give her? New cars, expensive jewelry, vacations to Fiji, all were at her fingertips, but she had to ask for this. No, she wasn't even asking. She could assume that I would give her what she wanted, and how can you refuse those big brown eyes? I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs, no, never, I can't, but I didn't want to spoil our new found happiness.

"Why do you want this so badly?" I asked, to satisfy my curiosity and possibly distract her.

"Because there is no alternative," she replied stubbornly. "I can't live without you, and I certainly won't let you be seventeen forever while I get older every day. It just isn't fair. Plus there is my clumsiness, my lack of coordination, bad luck, whatever you want to call it. That isn't something I want to live with. Unless you know another way to gaining immortality?" She raised her eyebrows, but I sighed to let her know that I got the message.

"Are you sure?" my voice was lower than normal, the seriousness seeping through. She nodded her head vigorously, probably not trusting her voice. I groaned helplessly, the image of me biting her frozen in my head.

"I love you," she whispered and I turned my eyes to her.

"Always," I paused, "and forever."

**I'm sorry this is so short. Please forgive me! Really, there is just too much to do in the next 31 hours (its 5 pm right now, Thursday 7/31), and writing is not that high on the priority list. Definitely not my best writing, but I think I tied up all the loose ends. After the release, I might come back and redo the ending. Maybe. But probably not. **


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